Each directive outlines several goals, deadlines for milestones, or guidelines agencies should follow. For example, one goal of the Digital Government Strategy aimed to ensure that government adjusts to the new digital world, seizing opportunities to procure and mange devices, applications, and data in smart, secure, and affordable ways. The Telework Enhancement Act sought to bring together the head leadership from each executive agency to establish a policy for eligible employees to telework within six months of its 2010 release. And, according to the Office of Personnel Management’s (OPM) 2012 Telework Report, small and large agencies reported challenges with management resistance and technology limitations, two years later.

While many agencies are still in the early stages of implementing telework, OPM’s 2013 Federal Employee Survey showed signs of progress. The survey found that a majority of feds were satisfied with their agency’s telework program – up three percent since 2012. Additionally, more than half of the nearly 380,000 feds surveyed have been notified they are eligible to telework with 42 percent doing so at least on an unscheduled or short-term basis. We’re excited to see these agencies evolve their telework programs, as we are firm believers that work is something you do, not a place you go. And, Citrix’s virtual and mobile solutions have played a significant role in enabling agencies to achieve innovative and cost effective telework strategies.

In addition to advancements in telework, we have seen several other success stories stemming from these innovation directives which demonstrate we are achieving true progress. One such instance is the General Service Administration’s (GSA) move towards a flexible work environment – reducing its real estate, replacing desk assignments with open workspaces, and encouraging employees to work from home several days per week. And, as Citrix is working with government agencies to lead their flex space transformations, we have also transformed our own office spaces to realize the vast benefits these environments offer. Recently, our Fort Lauderdale office completed a flex workspace re-design using solutions such as Citrix XenDesktop – delivering virtual apps and desktops with self-service access for users and simplified management for IT. This transformation has equated to approximately $1.8 million in real estate cost savings for Citrix.

Additionally, the Navy has shown great strides moving towards virtualization. This summer, Terry Halvorsen, chief information officer, Navy, issued two memos stating that all Navy and Marine Corps agencies must run operating systems and applications in a virtual environment by 2017. Citrix plays a key supporting role in providing agencies with the tools they need as they work to virtualize their infrastructures, implement telework programs, and enable mobility. As a leader in virtualization and mobility solutions, Citrix is at the forefront of enhancing the progress for agencies working to meet innovation directives.

This past year we announced Citrix XenMobile Enterprise Edition, this new solution is part of our enterprise mobility management platform which is the first holistic approach to mobility management encompassing mobile device management, mobile application management, and mobile data management. Additionally, the solution utilizes powerful analytics that enable administrators to audit devices, applications, and network access – ensuring the security of all data, regardless of device or location. Further supporting mobility efforts specifically for the defense sector, we are proud to announce that Citrix Receiver can now support Android Common Access Card (CAC) and Personal Identity Verification (PIV) cards. This first-to-market solution enables users to access virtualized desktops and applications securely in any environment.

While we have seen steps – and some leaps – toward integrating innovative technology into government agencies, there are still tasks to do, milestones to meet, and above all, there is still much work to do. Citrix is proud to partner with Federal agencies to implement the technologies they require to make mobility, virtualization, and cloud computing obtainable and affordable.

Looking back to 2013 and into 2014, it is clear Federal agencies have made immense efforts to modernize their technology systems, but we have more work to do to advance the mobile and digital agendas of public sector IT. We are looking forward to working with our public sector partners, along with our knowledgeable and seasoned experts, to help agencies continue the path towards implementing mobile and virtual technologies – improving the delivery of services securely and cost effectively.